Pokémon: 6 things Nintendo Switch’s game needs to have

When Nintendo officially confirmed that a Pokémon RPG for the Switch was in development, fans of the series were delighted. But sadly, neither Nintendo nor developer Game Freak have revealed many official details on the project .

In the absence of confirmed information, it means that fans are left to speculate, wonder, hope, and pray. Nintendo’s new system is a console with a huge amount of potential and so here are six features we think the Nintendo Switch Pokémon game needs to have.

1. Unique controller feedback

The Nintendo Switch Joy-Cons can do more than just detach from the console, as the controllers also offer things like HD Rumble. Other Switch exclusives, such as 1-2 Switch, have used Rumble to great effect, but for the Pokémon game, it would be a great way to immerse players in the game world.

The controllers could vibrate when players are nearing a Pokémon out in the wild, or help players feel the bumps of the waves as they cross the ocean on a Pokémon’s back. They could even vibrate when a player’s Pokémon is on its last few pips of HP, only upping the tension of an already stressful battle.

2. Completely new story

One of the longest-standing rumors, even before the Nintendo Switch Pokémon game was officially announced, was that a port of Pokémon Sun and Moon was in the works and would be called Pokémon Star. This supposed version of the game would offer improved and updated character models, essentially giving the game a fresh lick of paint.

While any Pokémon game on the Switch should make full and proper use of the console’s power, hopefully, Game Freak will not retread the same ground as Sun and Moon. PokémonUltra Sun and Moonhave already given fans a chance to jump back into that game’s story (albeit with some tweaks) for the second time, and so any content in the Switch game will hopefully be entirely new.

3. Brand new Pokémon Generation

And fingers crossed that this ‘all-new’ approach to the Switch game will extend to the pocket monsters, too. Pokémon GO has been wonderful for nostalgia, allowing players to catch many of the characters introduced since the series’ inception (it recently introduced Generation 3). Sun and Moon also offered reskins of familiar faces, giving several characters ‘Alolan’ versions.

However, since that mobile game has given everyone a chance to catch most of their favorites already, it’s about time that a new generation came along to shake things up a bit.

4. Pokémon GO Integration

Pokémon GO has over 500 million players, meaning everyone from series stalwarts to newfound fans is enjoying the game. It also means that many of those who end up playing the Nintendo Switch Pokémon game will have Pokémon GO installed.

So it makes good sense to integrate that into the console release. Perhaps catching a specific Pokémon in the Switch game would unlock bonuses for its mobile counterpart. Or maybe Pokémon GO players could work with Pokémon Switch players to achieve global missions (thus avoiding the failure of Pokémon Sun and Moon‘s global missions).

5. Local multiplayer battles

When the Nintendo Switch was first revealed, one of the major selling points was its local multiplayer. In the initial trailer, a group of basketball players sat around enjoying a court-side game of NBA 2K on their consoles, and professional Splatoon 2 players prepared for a big match backstage.

The Switch Pokémon RPG would be an opportunity to expand on the feature. Let eight players prop up their systems and battle for the title of ‘best Pokémon trainer’ in the group. Players could even be split up into two teams of four, figuring out the best strategies and the best mix of Pokémon-types to take down the opposing team.

6. New starter Pokémon

Since the days of Pokémon Red, the three starter Pokémon have been Fire-type, Water-type, and Grass-type. Even Pokémon GO uses that starter system (unlocking Pikachu as a starter is an Easter egg). So with a new system and (hopefully) a new generation of Pokémon, why not mix it up a little?

Players are plenty familiar with the rock, paper, scissors counter system by now and Pokémon GO has only further educated people about which Pokémon types are most effective against others. Making players choose between Psychic-type, Ghost-type, and Dark-type Pokémon, for example, would be an unexpected change and bring new ways to enjoy the series.

Game Freak director Shigeru Miyamoto recently explained that the jump to the Switch is necessary because the development team has pushed the 3DS to its ‘absolute limits.’ So although it could be some time until the next Pokémon RPG is released, the developer is certainly up for the challenge and will want to make the best use of the console. Whether Game Freak implements these wishlist ideas or not, Pokémon fans should feel very excited.

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